Legal Services

Adult Protective Intervention/Investigation

PH-6500.0500-050

Programs that investigate and intervene on behalf of adults who are unable to act on their own behalf, manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect or abandonment. Services may include removal of the individual to safer surroundings, authorization for medical treatment and other available services necessary to remove the conditions which have created a threat to life. Included are programs that receive reports of and investigate elder abuse involving noninstitutionalized adults.

Children's Protective Services

PH-6500.1500

Programs that investigate reports of child abuse, neglect or abandonment; document substantiated cases; provide for the temporary placement of children who, for their own protection, have been removed from the custody of the adults who are responsible for their care; work with families who are experiencing a problem with child abuse with the objective of facilitating continued family unification or reunification; and provide ongoing supportive services for children in permanent placement.

Consumer Protection Agencies

DD-2100

Agencies established by federal, state, county or city officials, business or industry associations, the media or the private sector to provide consumer education and information and/or to handle consumer complaints regarding unfair or fraudulent business or credit practices, unsafe or poor quality goods, incompetent services or other similar problems; and to provide solutions through mediation, arbitration or public pressure.

District Attorney

FJ-6700.1800

The chief prosecuting officer for the county who is responsible for initiating charges and prosecuting people, including juveniles, who have been accused of felony and misdemeanor offenses; enforcing laws which require responsible people to support their dependents; and investigating allegations of major fraud, organized criminal activity and corruption as well as unlawful conduct by public officials.

Inmate Support Services

FF-3300

Programs that provide emotional support and friendship (through correspondence or other mechanisms) for individuals who are incarcerated in a correctional facility; facilitate continued contact between inmates and family members, friends and significant others; work to vindicate and free from prison, inmates who claim to be innocent of the crimes for which they have been convicted and sentenced; and/or ensure that inmates receive the services and support they need to solve problems arising from their incarceration and/or prepare for their release.

Juvenile Diversion

FF-0500.1800-350

Community-based programs that provide comprehensive social services for individuals younger than age 18 who have committed a minor offense and are directed to participate in a diversion program as an alternative to arrest, prosecution or, in some cases, sentencing for the offense. Most juvenile diversion programs do an assessment of the individual's needs and provide and/or coordinate the delivery of the necessary services which may include individual, group or family counseling, substance abuse counseling, supervised recreational activities, vocational guidance, tutorial services and supplemental referrals for other needs.

Legal Counseling

FP-4000

Programs that are staffed by lawyers who offer information and guidance regarding legal matters, proposed lines of conduct, claims or contentions including opinions on the party's rights, responsibilities and liabilities; and who offer suggestions for an appropriate course of action, but do not represent clients in court.

Planning/Coordinating/Advisory Groups

TD-6500

Governing boards, advisory boards, commissions, committees and other groups that provide advice, guidance and, in some cases, formal oversight, for public and private organizations that are responsible for the provision of services to the community; that assess existing social conditions and problems and develop and assist in the implementation of specific strategies for meeting the human service needs of the community; and/or which assist community agencies and organizations to coordinate the provision of services in an efficient, nonduplicative way. Also included are entities that are composed of community agencies which have an established networking relationship that provides a collaborative approach to addressing specific identified community needs and problems.

Protection and Advocacy for Individuals With Disabilities

FT-1000.6600

Programs that provide assistance for individuals with disabilities who are having difficulty understanding and/or obtaining the full benefits and services to which they are entitled by law. Included are federally mandated programs that are part of the formal protection and advocacy system which includes Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PADD), Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI), Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) and the Client Assistance Program (CAP); and independent organizations that provide the same types of services. Protection and advocacy programs provide legal representation and other advocacy services, under federal and state laws, for all people with disabilities and endeavor to ensure full access to inclusive educational programs, financial entitlements, health care, accessible housing and productive employment opportunities. The programs maintain a presence in facilities that care for people with disabilities where they monitor, investigate and attempt to remedy adverse conditions. CAP agencies (many of which are housed within protection and advocacy offices) provide information and assistance for individuals seeking or receiving vocational rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act, including assistance in pursuing administrative, legal and other appropriate remedies.